‘Grandmas against guns’ joining March For Our Lives: We need to support these young people

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CLEVELAND- From Washington, D.C. to Northeast Ohio, students are holding what they call a “March For Our Lives” Saturday to end mass school shootings. People of all ages, including a group of grandmothers, plan to join them in their efforts.

"We as older people need to support these young people. We need to be behind them; we weren't good with leading ourselves," said Fairview Park resident Mary Maglicic.

She is one of eight Northeast Ohio women who call themselves "Grandmas against guns."

"We have kids, grandkids in schools and so our love for our grandkids, our love for our adult sons and daughters who are in education, who have children who should be able to go to school feeling confident that they'll be safe," she said.

Maglicic and three others in the group of eight are former teachers. They planned to go to Washington, D.C. Saturday for the national "March for Our Lives" rally. They are calling for gun legislation against gun violence and assault weapons at the state and national level.

She says weather and other issues prevented them from going, so they are joining the march here in Cleveland.

"The fact that we are here in Cleveland and can do this in Cleveland as well, I'm proud of that; I'm proud of Cleveland for doing that," she said.

"The support among students and educators and just regular old community members is widespread and is something I'm personally excited about. We're expecting a pretty big turnout tomorrow," said local march organizer Kevin LaMonica.

Shaker Heights junior Kevin LaMonica says he started organizing the Cleveland rally on Facebook, inspired by the students in Parkland, Florida, who are demanding change after 17 people were killed at their school last month.

"Parkland was more of a call to action for me. It's like I'm not doing enough; what I saw what the Parkland students were doing, I'm like, this is my time to really do something about this," he said.

"It's up to these young people now. We've failed them as older people because we haven't insisted on gun legislation that's sensible, so now we feel we're behind them, we need to support all of their efforts," said Maglicic.

The Cleveland rally in Public Square begins at 11:00 a.m. Saturday and the march begins at noon.